MSC Cruises inks firm contract for Meraviglia Plus duo

DECEMBER 23, 2016 — Shipbuilder STX France and MSC Cruises report that the final contract for two Meraviglia-Plus class mega cruise ships has come into force.

The two companies have agreed on all ship specifications enabling construction to begin on schedule for deliveries in October 2019 and July 2020.

The two next-generation ships – the largest ships ever built for a European cruise line and the second largest globally are an evolution of the two 167,000 grt , 2,250 guest cabin Meraviglia class cruise ships the first of which will enter service in June 2017. The Meraviglia Plus ships will be 177,000 grt with 2,450 guest cabins.

Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises, commented: "I am extremely pleased to see us continuing to deliver against our industrial plan with the coming into force of the final contract for the two Meraviglia-Plus ships. I view this as a further reflection of the strength of the relationship in place from day one between MSC Cruises and STX France. It is for this reason that, in addition to having built at STX France all twelve of our existing ships, through 2026 up to eight more are currently planned to be built in France at STX."